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Midmark Brochure de Esterilización
Midmark Brochure de Esterilización
Midmark Brochure de Esterilización
Safety Now
More Than Ever
1
Safety Now
More Than
Ever
What has changed in your dental practice because
of the COVID-19 pandemic? While safety has always
been a critical factor in patient and teammate
care, it’s now a primary focus for maintaining staff
confidence and bringing patients back to the office.
3
1 2 5
1 Receiving, Cleaning and Decontaminating: 2 Preparing and Packaging: 3 Sterilizing: 4 Monitoring/Assuring Sterility: 5 Storing:
• Sometimes dirty instruments need to be dropped • Following the Instructions for Use (IFU) from your • Always load your sterilizer according to the • Sterilization procedures should be monitored using • Store dry pouches and wrapped cassettes in
off and tended to later, although this wait time instrument and equipment manufacturers is the best manufacturer’s IFU. Be careful not to overload biological, mechanical and chemical indicators. dedicated, dry storage. If they are exposed to
should be minimized so that debris does not dry way to protect the useful life of your tools. the chamber and, if you’re using pouches, do not • Sterilization cycle record-keeping guidelines moisture prior to use, the sterilization process
on your tools. When necessary, store contaminated • Unless you are using a fast sterilizer for immediate overlap them. Midmark strongly recommends may vary according to local, state and federal should be repeated.
tools in a container with a closed lid, inside a use of instruments, ensure they are either placed using pouch racks, especially on the bottom tray, governance. Most sterilizers offer an electronic
dedicated closed space, such as an upper cabinet. in pouches or, if you are using cassettes, that they to prevent pouches from browning or damaging data logger capability to simplify this process.
• Cleaning instruments in an ultrasonic cleaner are wrapped. This packaging will help with proper instruments with higher heat. • Consult your sterilizer manufacturer’s IFU.
or washer helps avoid risk of injury from sharp storage at the end of the workflow. • Always allow the sterilizer to run its full cycle so that Typically, a combination of biological (spore
instruments, common with washing by hand. instruments are fully dry. test) and chemical (load specific) indicators are
• When instruments are clean, rinse and allow • Follow your manufacturer’s IFU for daily care and recommended.
them to thoroughly dry before packaging. routine maintenance so that sterilization cycles
aren’t compromised.
Efficient Workflow out an effective sterilization center and follow the CDC’s
recommended five-step dirty-to-clean workflow.
L-SHAPED
3 GALLEY
4
2 1 An L-shaped counter arrangement maximizes use
The galley layout consists of workspaces on two opposing of available space where elbow room is limited.
walls with a single traffic lane between. This arrangement The space you have can be all you need to do
allows for easy access and efficient workflow, helping your instrument processing effectively.
staff keep it all moving with a linear flow while keeping
everything within reach.
1 2 3 4 5
1
U-SHAPED 4
STRAIGHT-LINE
3
5
Multiple cleaners and sterilizers demand space, and a Perfectly suited to the 5-step flow that is instrument
U-shaped workspace design provides that and more. Ample processing, a straight-line workspace design is the picture
surface areas allow more staff in the room to multi-task and 2 of efficiency. Use it to streamline workflow, and let it create
maintain a bustling workflow. an open and impressive visual for patients passing by.
2 3 4
windows to set the room apart and allow patients to We’re able to get patients into rooms faster.
We’re able to see more patients and treat
observe from a safe position. them better with our new design.” "When we designed our office, we put a large
window in our sterilizing room. People
asked why we wanted patients to see dirty
instruments. Easy—we want them to see
how effectively we practice and trust that
everything is completely sterile for their
safety. And because it’s unique and cool,
their word-of-mouth becomes our best
marketing tool.”
Room Safety your health and efficiency. What does that look like? According to Dr. Jeff
Carter of Practice Design Group, a treatment room measuring 10 feet, 4 inches
wide by 12 feet deep will provide the right space for most ideal configurations.
$
Start with the dental chair, which is typically 6 feet long, then add ideal spacing
and equipment around it, including a back cabinet about 22 to 24 inches deep,
a space of 24 to 30 inches between the back cabinet and head of the chair, a
PROTECT YOUR HEALTH
space of 18 inches at the foot of the chair, side cabinets 18 inches deep and
OSHA estimates the average cost ADA clearances of 32 inches on either side of the dental chair for accessibility.
While patient safety is vital to your practice, so is your health and
per incident for injuries like sprains,
your team’s health. Did you know that more than 80% of dentists Together, these dimensions and layout help support ideal workflow and
strains, inflammation and carpal tunnel
in the US have reported suffering from neck, shoulder and lower syndrome is $64,000. With just a few
ergonomics by including maneuverable space around the chair and placing
delivery units, work surfaces and the oral cavity all within your reach.
back pain? And that 34% of lost workdays are due to work-related incidents, your revenue would need to
musculoskeletal injuries? How much is that costing you? grow by millions.
We invite you to take a deeper dive into understanding the risks to your health
in our white paper, “4 Reasons to Take Ergonomics Seriously.” Learn the risks,
then ask us how to plan your treatment rooms and use equipment properly to
support your health.
Bacteria
Cooking Smoke/Grease
Human Hair Pet Dander
Household Dust Viruses
Fertilizer Tobacco Smoke
Plant Spores Insecticide Dust
Coal Dust
Dental air compressors and vacuums are familiar and necessary components of For patients unsure of the safety HOW BIG IS A MICRON? Human Hair
your practice. They are the heart and lungs that breathe life into your handpieces of indoor procedures in a dental When imagining the size of a micron,
and ensure saliva and other liquids are comfortably and safely evacuated from your office, knowing the air they breathe
0.0889 mm
think of it like this: The large circle
patient’s mouth. While your safety protocols are focused on controlling the spread is well ventilated and the air used in represents the size (O.D.) of a 0.00254 mm
of bloodborne pathogens, a new and urgent focus is on the spread of airborne their treatment is cleaned through a single human hair. The smallest dot
pathogens. filtration system may be the extra push represents 1 micron, or 1/1,000
to get them back into your dental chair. of a millimeter. Midmark PowerAir Micron
Listed on the CDC “How Coronavirus Spreads” guidance page is the oil-less compressors utilize a 0.01 0.001 mm
recommendation to “ensure indoor spaces are properly ventilated.” A space with Likewise, as you are adding high- micron coalescent filter.
good ventilation reduces the risk of exposure to infectious respiratory droplets. volume evacuation (HVE) tools in your
0.0254 mm
treatment rooms to reduce aerosols
You can take this recommendation a step further by filtering the air used during with continuous HVE, having adequate
treatments to reduce the risk of viral spread. Midmark PowerAir Oil-Less Air vacuum pump speed is necessary to
Compressors have a 0.01-micron coalescent filter designed to provide the ultimate support their use. If you’re unsure
in clean air, generating the capacity to capture 99.9997% of compressed air whether your vacuum has the power,
contaminants. This filtration is 500-times greater than the industry standard and see our “Key Considerations for
can trap many bacteria, most dust and even some viruses. Use of Continuous HVE in a Dental
Practice,” or your sales team can help
you determine the best equipment to
support your needs.
Treatment plans to deliver beautiful smiles start with regular preventative oral care. You can minimize the patient’s exposure with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably
Safety must be considered, especially when radiation is introduced with these Achievable) Principle. Using ADA guidelines for prescribing dental radiographs Implementing proper cleaning
types of exams. can help reduce overutilization and excessive radiation and minimize techniques and using protective
underutilization of imaging with a potential inadequate diagnosis. sheaths on digital sensors between
Long before a virus uprooted everyone’s lives, X-ray safety centered around uses, as recommended by the
radiation exposure. While radiation from dental imaging is fairly low compared to Using these guidelines, patients are categorized by: manufacturer, can also properly protect
everyday environmental exposures, the effects of radiation are well-documented 1. Type of visit (new or recall) patients from contamination.
and cumulative. What you do to limit exposure makes a difference to your 2. Dental status (child with primary or transitional dentition, adolescent,
patients. Following FDA and ADA guidelines at the point of care during imaging or adult dentulous or edentulous)
procedures can help ensure the lowest dose of radiation is given to the patient 3. Risk category for caries, periodontal disease or growth, and development
for their specific exam needs and help improve outcomes through more accurate assessment
diagnoses.
From there, you can determine the right dose for the patient's situation, balancing
patient safety and comfort. You can utilize direct digital sensors for lowest dose or
install easy-to-use intraoral X-rays (IOs) with preset technique factors that are also
adjustable to ensure the right dose. Use IOs with the smallest focal spot, such as 0.4
mm, for lowest dose and to provide the sharpest images.
1. SAFETY
When using a wall-mounted X-ray unit, the operator This placement makes them highly susceptible to being
leaves the room, eliminating the potential for exposure to dropped and damaged. It also causes arm and hand fatigue
both leakage and scatter radiation. Exposure to radiation for the operator who has to hold the heavy device, which
is a significant safety concern for the operator of any can weigh as much as 5-8 pounds, in awkward positions
handheld device. Since the operator is holding the X-ray for longer exposures to get the best image. Plus, constant
source assembly, the principle of “distance” as a safety repositioning of the sensor between acquisitions, such
factor against leakage radiation cannot be applied. The as in a full-mouth or bitewing series, can take longer and
patient’s radiation dose also increases as the battery requires repeated handling of the device, leading to cross-
charge decreases and the exposure time must increase to contamination on top of ergonomic issues and damage risk.
compensate. If the battery needs to be charged or multiple operators
need the unit at the same time, clinical workflow can grind to
2. IMAGE QUALITY AND TIME a halt.
Images taken as handheld unit batteries discharge are likely
to result in variable image quality. Exposures longer than one 4. REGULATIONS
second run a greater risk of blur artifacts caused by patient Not all handheld intraoral dental X-ray units available in the
or operator movement, resulting in unusable images and US are FDA-approved, and not all FDA-approved machines
more retakes. Consider the time it takes to capture a series have been approved for use by every state. Some states
of quality images. A one-second exposure time for a typical provide cart blanche approval for the use of handheld units,
handheld dental X-ray unit requires a 60-second cooling while others give approval on a case-by-case basis, usually
down period before the next exposure. The cooling down by an exemption.
When equipping your treatment rooms with an intraoral X-ray,
period, or duty cycle, for a conventional wall-mounted dental
you have a fundamental choice between wall-mounted and X-ray unit is half that time. Those extra 30 seconds saved 5. COST AND LIFESPAN
handheld systems. Handheld dental X-ray units were originally per exposure become the difference between performing Not only does one handheld unit cost almost the same as
a full-mouth series of twenty images in 5 minutes versus 10 two wall-mounted units, the general life expectancy of a
developed for situations where fixed units could not be used, minutes. wall-mounted unit is 10 years with little to no maintenance.
like in field hospitals and emergency triage facilities. Are these The estimated 5-year cost for a popular handheld X-ray unit
3. WORKFLOW AND ERGONOMICS is over $5,700 more than its wall-mounted counterpart, the
units a safe choice for regular use within a practice? To help
While it may seem staying in the room between exposures Midmark Preva, when necessary batteries, chargers and
you make an informed decision, read our "Top Five Things To would improve workflow, it does not. Placing a receptor in damage waiver warranties are factored in. Handhelds also
Consider Before You Invest in an X-Ray Unit" on the next page. the patient’s mouth is a two-handed operation and if both add risk to patient flow. If dropped, handheld units must be
hands are being used, the handheld generator would end sent to the manufacturer for evaluation before being used
up cradled in the operator’s arm or placed on a work surface. again so a backup unit becomes essential.
To learn more, read our white paper “Handheld versus
Conventional X-Ray Units in Clinical Dental Practice—a
Cautionary Discussion.”
Cabinetry
Artizan® Expressions Cabinetry + Synthesis® Cabinetry 2
Countertop Materials 3
The best cleaning and
The pandemic introduced unusual circumstances with practices closing for Imaging and Digital Impressions
Progeny Vantage® Digital Panoramic Systems 4 disinfecting instructions
an extended period, which meant equipment sat idle. There are proper Preva Intraoral X-Ray Systems 5
ClearVision® Sensor Digital Sensor Systems 6
for your equipment
equipment shutdown and start-up procedures that you should follow to
Midmark True Definition™ Scanner 8
Midmark True Definition Wand 10
come from the
protect it. While we hope to never experience closings like we saw in 2020 Instrument Processing
Midmark M9® and M11® Steam Sterilizers 13
manufacturer. Midmark
again, these procedures may help if you do close for an extended period—for
Midmark M3® Steam Sterilizer 14
Midmark QuickClean® Ultrasonic Cleaners 15
has an easy-to-follow,
example, if you close your practice for an extended vacation. Mechanical Room
PowerVac® and PowerVac G Dry Vacuums
ClassicSeries® Wet-Ring Vacuums
17
18
consolidated guide for
PowerMax Vacuums + PowerAir® Air Compressors 19
These resources and links to regulatory and professional organizations can be found at
www.midmark.com/dental/health-and-safety-information.